Thirteen Days (2000)

Peter White: John McCone

Quotes 

• Robert Kennedy : No, no, no! Now, there is more than one option here - and if one isn't occurring to us, it's because we haven't thought hard enough!

  John McCone, CIA Director : Bobby, sometimes there is only one right choice, and you thank God when it's so clear.

  Robert Kennedy : You're talking about a sneak attack. How will that make us look? A big country blasting a little one into the stone age. Yeah, we'll be everyone's favorites.

  Dean Acheson : Come on Bobby, that's naive. This is the real world. You know that better than anybody.

  John McCone, CIA Director : And you weren't so ethically particular when we were talking about options for removing Castro over at CIA.

• Kenny O'Donnell : [reading Khruschev's message]  It's ten pages of sentimental fluff, but he's saying it right here - he'll remove the missiles in return for a no-invasion pledge.

  John McCone, CIA Director : Mr. President, our early analysis says this probably was written by Khruschev himself. It's a first draft; it shows no signs of being polished by the foreign ministry. In fact, it probably wasn't even approved by the Politburo, as they wouldn't the emotionalism go by. The analysts say it was written by someone under considerable stress.

  [all chuckle] 

  President Kennedy : Glad to know we're not alone.